Oh, For the Love of a Football Head
by qwerty-kitties
Summary: NEVER FINISHED - Picks up where the ep "Weird Cousin" leaves off. - Written over 10 years ago, older writing style, OC Sammy and loose ends abound.
1. Chapter 1

**OH, FOR THE LOVE OF**

**A FOOTBALL HEAD**

by Carrot Top

**PART 1:**

**CONFESSION**

In yet another attempt to make Lila jealous, Arnold and Helga sat at a table together in the cafeteria. They were sitting close to each other, and drinking from the same glass of chocolate milk. Arnie and Lila were at a table nearby, and Arnold kept glancing over at them. Helga, however, was happy just where she was. She gazed at Arnold dreamily.

_Oh, Arnold! _she thought happily._ These past few days have been bliss! How I wish you would forget about why we're doing this, and redirect your misguided affections to me! Forget about little miss perfect over there and notice the only girl who could love you just as you are, forever!_

Arnold was still looking over at his cousin and Lila, and watched as she brought out a gift she had hidden under the table.

"Look, I got you a present!" Lila told Arnie excitedly.

Arnie had been looking behind him toward Arnold and Helga's table, and now he turned around. He glanced at the gift without much interest and turned around once more. Lila looked at him, slightly confused.

"Here, I'll open it for you." She unwrapped the package, and pulled out a chocolate candy bar. "It's french. I thought you might like reading the ingredients in a foreign language." Arnie turned his attention back to Lila.

"There's something I have to tell you." he said. Lila smiled slightly.

"Gosh, Arnie, whatever could it be?"

The smile dropped from her lips when she found out.

Meanwhile, back at their table, Helga and Arnold were finishing their milk. Arnold had decided that these little 'make Lila jealous' tricks weren't going to work, and was about to tell Helga it was time to call the whole thing off when his cousin walked over.

"Hey."

"Hey, Arnie."

"Could I talk to Helga alone for a minute?" Arnie asked. Helga frowned. What was HE doing over here? Arnold looked at his cousin and shrugged.

"Sure," he said, getting up. He walked over to Lila as Arnie took his seat. Helga turned her back on the pale football head.

"I broke up with Lila," he said and sniffed loudly. Helga's eyes grew wide and she turned to him, beginning to stand.

"You broke up with Lila?" she asked, amazed. "WHY?"

"Well, the thing is, I realized I have other feelings." he said.

"What kind of feelings?"

At the same time, Arnold was talking with Lila. She told him what had happened, and he stared at her in shock.

"He dumped you?" he asked, totally stunned. "Arnie? Dumped you?"

"Uh, huh." Lila was sitting with her head down, looking crushed.

"You're kidding." Arnold said, sitting where his cousin had sat only a moment ago.

"No Arnold, I'm ever so serious." Lila sighed as she sat with her head on her folded arms. She had never felt so sad. Arnold talked to her, and helped her see that maybe Arnie wasn't that 'oh so special someone' she had been looking for. She was feeling better and thanked him for helping. (Then she reminded him that she didn't like him like him, she just liked him.)

Helga, meanwhile, was having her own problems.

"Look, Arnie, you're talking in circles." she said, turning her back on him once again. "Spit it out! What the heck are you trying to say?"

"I love you." he said simply. Helga's eyes grew as big as dinner plates.

"Excuse me?" she asked, turning to him. Arnie looked at her, his half-lidded eyes full of honesty.

"I want us to spend every waking moment together." he was saying, as Helga sat stunned. "Let me tell you about myself. I like gum. And I like counting things. But most of all, I like gum. I also like reading the ingredients on food packages. It's kinda my hobby." He snorted. That snapped Helga out of her shock.

"Whoa, hold on a minute, bucko!" she scowled. "You love me? What is this, some kind of sick joke? I thought you loved Lila!" He shook his head.

"It's no joke, Helga. When I saw you and Arnold together, I got jealous. What I felt for Lila doesn't compare with what I feel for you." He took her hand gently. "I know you and Arnold aren't really going out, because he really likes Lila. I figure he talked you into acting like his girlfriend so he could make her jealous." Helga was speechless.

"But it didn't work because she doesn't like like him, she just likes him." he continued. "She said she's told him that a couple of times, but he still thinks she'll change her mind. I guess he can be kind of dense when it comes to girls." Helga smiled.

"Yeah, he is." she said quietly. She looked down and noticed he was still holding her hand and the smile dropped from her lips. She yanked her hand back and started wiping it with her napkin. "Anyway, what does this have to do with me? I'm nothing like little miss perfect."

"That's what draws me to you." he told her. "Lila's nice, but she can get kinda annoying after a while. She's so polite, and sweet, and charming that she's . . . well, boring. You say what's on your mind, and don't act all girly and silly when you're around other people." Helga was staring at him again. She had never heard anyone describe Lila as 'boring'.

"What I'm trying to say is, you're not afraid to be different. People don't pick on you or call you names or anything just because you're not like everyone else." He paused. "Everyone thinks I'm weird because I like to do strange things. That doesn't make me weird, that makes me different. I thought if anyone knew what it was like to be different, it would be you. If anyone could understand me, I thought you could." He was looking at her with hope on his pale face. She was shocked to discover she had no idea what to say to something like that. She couldn't think of a single insult or sarcastic remark.

"What do you think Helga?" he asked, still looking hopeful.

Helga's mind raced. She needed to do something quick, before this kid started talking again. For some reason she liked to listen to him talk. Maybe it was because he sounded so much like Arnold. Arnold! She had forgotten all about him! She quickly glanced over and saw him still sitting at the other table with a very disappointed look on his face as Lila walked away.

_She must have laid that whole 'I like you, but I don't LIKE you like you' thing on him again, _she thought, frowning. _Oh, Arnold! When will you ever get it through your thick skull that she will never love you the way I do! Why can't you see through my rough exterior to the loving heart that beats within my chest, yearning for you? Why is it that even your weird cousin, who has been here not even a week, can see me for who I am, but you, who have known me for almost our ENTIRE LIVES, still cannot?_

Arnie sat and watched Helga for a moment, then turned and looked in the direction she was staring. Arnold was sitting at the table, watching Lila. Arnie then turned back and studied the look in Helga's eyes and understood perfectly.

"Oh, I see." he said softly, regaining her attention. "You really like him, don't you?" She looked back at him, startled. Then she scowled and rolled her eyes.

"What, are you kidding?" she laughed nervously. "Me? Like Arnoldo? HA! Please."

"I saw the way you were looking at him, Helga. It's the same way he looks at Lila." He lowered his head. "The way I wish you'd look at me."

Helga softened. Arnie wasn't so bad, he just liked her. He had just realized that she doesn't like him back, and now he was hurting. Her heart went out to this little outcast. After all, she knew how it felt to have your heart broken by the one you love.

"Hey, don't take it so hard." she said gently, putting a hand on his shoulder (after making sure no one was paying any attention to them.) "I'm actually kinda flattered that you . . . you know." Knowing it was one thing. Saying it was another. "It's just that, well, I've . . . cared about your 'dense' cousin for a long time. A REALLY long time. And I just don't like you the way I like him."

"Even though he might never feel the same way for you?" Arnie asked. "Even though he has yet to get just the tiniest bit of a clue about girls, and I knew I loved you practically from the moment I laid eyes upon you?"

Helga sat back. This was getting a little creepy. It was all way too familiar. Could Arnie really feel the same way about her that she felt about Arnold? Helga shook her head to clear it. The time to be nice had passed. Now it was time to get tough.

"I don't think that's any of your business, football head." she said, scowling. Boy, it was weird calling someone other than Arnold that. "You have feelings for me, get over them. It wouldn't work out, because I'm Helga G. Pataki, and you're ARNIE!" She rose to leave, thought for a second, then leaned close to him. "And if you tell Arnold about my feelings for him, I'll grind you into the dirt!" she hissed. Arnie shook his head.

"I won't. But could I ask you a question?" She thought for a second.

"What?" she asked impatiently.

"Do you think you could like me if I was more like him?" This caught Helga by surprise. It was such an odd thing to say.

"Don't be dumb. I like him and that's all there is to it." she stated, and marched straight out the door.

Arnold had glanced over every now and then to check on Helga and Arnie, and when he saw her leave, he walked over and sat next to his cousin.

"Hey, Arnie?"

"What?"

"Why did you break up with Lila? I thought you two were getting along great." Arnie shrugged.

"She just wasn't my type, that's all." he said, looking after Helga.

"Oh. What were you talking to Helga about?" Arnie looked at Arnold for a second, then sighed and shook his head.

"Nothing. Did you talk to Lila?"

"Yeah, she was pretty upset. I guess she really liked you. It hurts when someone you really like doesn't really like you back."

"I know." Arnie said quietly, thinking about Helga.

Arnold looked at his cousin. He really hadn't given him a chance. Arnie had been here almost a week, and Arnold still knew very little about him. Sure he was a little odd, but wasn't everyone? Wouldn't someone say that living in a boarding house and being raised by your elderly grandparents was a little out of the ordinary? He decided to try and make it up to Arnie.

"Do you have plans for tonight, Arnie?" His pale cousin shook his head. "What do you say we go to the movies or something? Or we could rent a couple of videos. We haven't done anything together since you arrived, and I am kinda curious about my mom's side of the family. What do ya say?"

Arnie thought for a minute, and then something amazing happened. For the first time in the week he had been staying with Arnold, Arnie smiled. It lit his face and made him look completely different.

"Okay, I'd like that. Why don't we just talk? I've got some things I'd like to tell to you about." Now Arnold was smiling.

"Okay! We'll go up to my room after dinner." At the thought of dinner, Arnold frowned. "I'll see what I can do about the boarders not making fun of you."

"That's okay, I'm used to it."

"No, it's not okay. You're family, and no one is going to pick on a member of my family if I can help it."

"Thanks." Arnie said, smiling again. At that moment, the bell rang signalling the start of afternoon classes. The cousins looked at each other, and ran to their lockers together.

~End of Part 1~


	2. Chapter 2

OH, FOR THE LOVE OF

**A FOOTBALL HEAD**

**PART 2:**

**MIXED REACTIONS**

That afternoon, a new rumor was flying through the halls of PS 118. One that Arnold didn't really appreciate. He found out about it at recess.

"They're saying WHAT?" he cried when he heard the rumor from Gerald. His dark friend nodded.

"They're saying that you and Helga are 'an item'," he told Arnold. "They've seen you and her together all the time, and doing weird things. You brushing her hair, massaging her feet, and . . ." He trailed off.

"And, what?"

"And . . . sharing gum. Tell me you didn't do THAT, Arnold. You didn't share gum with HELGA, did you?" Arnold blushed.

"Well, that wasn't exactly my idea. I didn't want to do it, but she said it'd be—"

"Aw, man!" Gerald exclaimed, putting his face into his hands. "I can't believe you and Helga are going together! What's the matter with you, man? Did you hit your head or something?" Arnold was shaking his head violently.

"We're NOT going together, Gerald!" he cried. "Helga just suggested that we PRETEND we were to make Lila jealous! But it didn't really work, so I've got to tell Helga that the deal's off."

"Well, you better hurry, man," Gerald said. "Because it's spreading over the entire school. If Helga hears about it before you 'break it off' with her, she might clobber you to protect her image." Arnold paled at the thought.

"Jeez, maybe you're right."

As Arnold imagined a fate worse than death at the hands of his personal tormentor, Arnie joined them.

"Hey."

"Hey, Arnie," Arnold said distractedly. Gerald looked from one football head to the other, his eyes wide. Arnold was still pale at the thought of an angry Helga, and he looked more like Arnie than ever.

"Hey, Arnie. Why aren't you over there with Lila?" Gerald asked. Arnie shrugged.

"We broke up," the pale football head said simply. He sniffed loudly. Gerald's eyes grew wide.

"You broke up?" he asked, sounding amazed. "WHY?"

Arnie shrugged. He looked past Gerald, and smiled faintly. Helga was at the other side of the playground, talking to Phoebe.

"Later," he said, and starting walking toward the two girls. Gerald and Arnold watched him go, then Gerald turned to his friend.

"What is going on?" he asked, looking very confused. "First everyone thinks that you and Helga are going together, and now I find out that Arnie and Lila broke up. I take it she finally came to her senses?" he joked. Arnold shook his head.

"Actually, Arnie broke up with her." Gerald's jaw dropped.

"WHAT?" he exclaimed. "HE broke up with HER? What is going on around here? This is like an episode of 'The Z-Files' or something!" Arnold shrugged again.

"It must have happened at lunch. He broke up with her, then came over and wanted to talk to Helga. I went over and talked to Lila. She was pretty upset over it."

"Okay, so Arnie broke up with Lila. But why did he want to talk to Helga?" Gerald asked. Arnold shrugged a third time.

"Beats me. They talked for a few minutes, then Helga left in kind of a huff. But Arnie had a weird look on his face when I went over to talk to him about Lila. I can't explain it. It looked like . . . . like . . ."

"Like what?" Gerald asked, impatiently. "C'mon, man. Spill it."

_Like he really liked her,_ Arnold thought but didn't say. _It looked like Arnie really, really liked Helga, but she didn't like him back._

Arnold knew better than say something like this to Gerald. He knew how Gerald felt about Helga in the first place, and the whole idea of Arnie liking her would drive Gerald nuts. But his friend was still looking at him, waiting for an answer. Arnold sighed and shook his head.

"I don't know," he said finally. "He just looked a little down, that's all." Gerald shrugged.

"Maybe she threatened him?" he suggested. "Or stole his lunch money, or something. C'mon, man. This IS Helga we're talking about." Arnold thought for a second, then shrugged.

"Maybe. I guess it could be anything." Gerald nodded.

"Right. You gonna go over and 'break up' with Helga now?" he asked. Arnold glanced over toward the girl in question and saw her talking to Arnie. Rather loudly.

"Nah," Arnold said, shaking his head. "I think I'll wait until after school."

Meanwhile, over with Helga and her 'admirer' . . . .

"Get away from me, you pale freak!" Helga screamed at Arnie. "Don't make me cream you to get my point across!" Arnie merely smiled.

"I'm not doing anything, Helga," he said calmly. "I was just coming over to see how you are." She scowled at him.

"I'd be a lot BETTER if YOU would just stay away from me!" she growled as she walked away. Phoebe spared Arnie one last glance before running after her friend.

"What's wrong, Helga?" she asked as she caught up with the tall blonde. "Why is Arnie bothering you?" Helga stopped walking and turned to her small friend.

"Because he lo—" Helga stopped. Is this something she wanted Phoebe to know? She thought for a second, weighing her options. Then she shook her head, making her stiff pigtails bounce.

"Because he's a total weirdo, that's why!" she said, throwing her arms into the air. "Criminey! First Brainy is always following me around, and now the Football Head's cousin. What is it about me that attracts these complete geeks?" Phoebe shrugged.

"Perhaps you have certain qualities they like in a girl, Helga," she suggested. "You must admit, you're not like any of the other girls in class. You're not as feminine, or obsessed about your looks, or interested in fashion—"

"What's your point, Phoebe?" Helga asked, sounding a little annoyed.

"My point is that you are completely different from all the other girls in class, possibly even the school. You aren't afraid to be an individual. While most kids are worried about fitting in with their peers, you are more concerned with being true to yourself." The small girl paused. "Or at least the 'Helga' you want us all to see . . ." Helga turned to her sharply.

"What's THAT supposed to mean?" she asked, angrily. Phoebe smiled slightly.

"Come on, Helga," she said as Helga glanced around to make sure no one was close enough to hear the two. "I know you're not really the bully you appear to be. Not deep down. You have hopes and fears just like anyone else. I know it, Sammy knows it . . . and Arnold knows it." Helga's eyes grew wide.

"What are you talking about?" she whispered. Phoebe leaned closer to her friend.

"I've heard what everyone's saying about you and Arnold," she whispered. "And I've seen the way you two are acting with each other. I'm glad you finally told him the truth about your feelings for him."

For a moment, Helga was totally confused. Then her mind grasped what Phoebe was saying, and filled the blonde with a mixture of relief and sorrow.

"Oh, that," Helga said quietly. "It's not what you think, Phoebs. Arnold and I aren't 'going together'. We were just pretending we were to try and make Lila jealous. But it kinda backfired somehow . . ." Phoebe looked at her questioningly.

"What do you mean?"

"Well, LILA didn't get jealous, but ARNIE did."

For a second, Phoebe still looked confused, then her face cleared as she understood. She looked at Helga with wide eyes.

"Arnie likes YOU, doesn't he?" she asked in a hushed voice. "That's why he's been hanging around you, isn't it?" Helga dragged Phoebe further away from the rest of the kids.

"Shhhhh! Not so loud!" Helga hissed. "Yeah, he likes me. And unfortunately, Arnold doesn't. I thought if we ACTED like we were a couple, then Arnold would see me as more than the bully. He would see the REAL me, and decide he liked me. But that didn't happen." Phoebe placed a comforting hand on her friend's shoulder.

"Don't feel too bad, Helga," she said softly. "Perhaps Arnold was just too preoccupied with watching Lila's reaction to your little ruse to see how different you could be." She paused. "And perhaps pretending to be a couple just to make Lila jealous wasn't a good idea in the first place. After all, Lila doesn't like like Arnold anymore anyway." Helga appeared to think about this for a moment, then nodded.

"I guess you're right, Phoebs," she sighed. "It just felt so good to be near him, you know? Even if we were just pretending." Phoebe nodded.

"I know, Helga. But you'll have the courage to tell him about your feelings. You're not the same person you were a year ago. Since Sammy came, you've changed. I'VE changed. We're closer than we've ever been. And you WILL tell Arnold how much you care for him." Helga scoffed.

"Yeah, right. I've gone this long without coming close. I'm starting to think I'll NEVER tell him." Phoebe smiled.

"You will, Helga. One day, you'll tell him everything."

Helga was about to say something to her friend about this, when she heard wheezing in her left ear. She readied her fist and was about to backhand Brainy when someone sniffed behind her right shoulder. She froze.

"Phoebe?" she asked. "Am I imagining things or are they BOTH behind me?" Phoebe, who was trying hard to keep from laughing at the sight, nodded. Helga rolled her eyes, and brought both fists up, connecting with both boys' noses. There were two satisfying thumps as they hit the ground.

"Criminey. As if ONE wasn't bad enough," she muttered as she and Phoebe walked toward Arnold and Gerald.

"All right Football Head, listen up!" she ordered as she neared the boys. "It seems to me that the whole 'make Lila jealous' thing isn't working, so we might as well just quit. Your freaky cousin told me that he broke up with her anyway, so the whole thing is kinda moot." Arnold smiled, making Helga's heart flip.

"Great!" he cried. "I was gonna tell you the same thing after school today. Thanks for trying to help though. It was really nice of you." Helga rolled her eyes and waved a hand at him.

"Yeah, yeah, yeah. Whatever Head Boy," she said, sounding bored with the whole conversation. "Just don't spread it around that I did you a favor. I got a reputation to take care of, you know." Arnold nodded enthusiastically, then frowned as he thought of the rumor.

"Oh, but everyone thinks we're really 'going out'," he said, looking a bit worried. "What about that?" Helga laughed sharply.

"Are you kidding?" she smirked. "Like anyone would believe that I, Helga G. Pataki, would WILLINGLY hang around with YOU?"

"But everyone's saying . . ." Arnold started, looking upset. Helga held up a hand.

"Save it, shrimp. I don't care what anyone's saying. Let them think what they want. We know the truth, don't we? You don't like me and everyone knows I don't like you. We're just the flavor of the week anyway, once a better bit of gossip comes along, they'll forget about us."

Arnold thought for a moment, and decided that she was right. Rumors were always coming and going in this school, and most of them didn't last longer than a week or two. Maybe this would all blow over just as fast. He was about to say something to Helga when the bell rang.

"Just ignore all this, Arnold," she said as she and Phoebe headed in. "It'll all blow over soon. Later, geeks."

Once the girls were inside, Gerald turned to his friend as they headed in.

"Well, looks like you're off the hook, Arnold," he commented. "And I hate to admit it, but she's right. Just give this some time and everyone will forget about it." He hurried through the doors and was lost in the crowd.

For the rest of the day, Arnold was unusually quiet. He kept thinking about how Helga had acted outside. Sure she was still the same bully she always was, but there was also something else about her. Something he'd noticed when they had pretended to be 'dating'. Something strangely familiar . . .

Helga, meanwhile, was having her own problems. Specifically, a problem named Arnie.

"I'm not telling you again, spaz," she hissed at him for the fourth time. "Stay away from me!" He smiled.

"Helga, I HAVE to sit behind you," he calmly explained. "That's where Mr. Simmons put me. Not that I'm complaining . . ." Helga rolled her eyes.

"Just don't bother me, dork."

After school, Helga and Phoebe stopped in at the library, as they usually did. Sammy was helping a few students with some research for their reports, but waved when her young friends arrived. Once the other students were taken care of, she returned the research materials and walked over to the girls.

"Hi, girls," the redhead greeted, making the kids smile. "What's up?" Helga shrugged.

"Eh, you know. The usual." Sammy looked at the young blonde with an eyebrow raised.

"Oh, really?" she asked. "That's not what I've been hearing. Word around school is that you and Arnold are, how shall I put this? An item?" Helga smiled, but shook her head.

"As much as I'd love to say it's true, it isn't. See, here's the story." Helga told Sammy all about her and Arnold's little 'deal', and about his cousin. The librarian listened intently, nodding slightly.

"Well," she said once Helga had finished. "I must say, I was a little excited when I heard this rumor. I thought you'd told him about your feelings. But I know how rumors are, and I thought I'd ask you before jumping for joy. I'm sorry it isn't true." Helga nodded.

"Yeah," she said quietly. "Me too. But I DID get to spend some time with him. That's something anyway."

"Yep," Sam agreed. "And who knows? Maybe this little episode has started making Arnold see you a little differently." Helga laughed.

"You sound like Phoebe!" she said. "She said something like that earlier." Sammy smiled and shrugged.

"Well, you never know. So, tell me about this cousin of Arnold's. I don't think I've met him." Helga stopped laughing and scowled.

"Ugh. Don't remind me." Sam looked at Phoebe.

"Was it something I said?" Phoebe shrugged.

"Arnie has a bit of a crush on Helga," the small girl explained. "That's why the plan didn't work. Lila didn't get jealous, but Arnie did. He broke up with her because he discovered that he likes Helga."

At that moment, the girls heard a loud sniff from the area right outside the doors.

"Oh, for the love of creation," Helga moaned as Arnie stepped inside the library.

"Hi, Helga," he said, smiling slightly. Helga groaned and sat down heavily at one of the tables. Sammy and Phoebe exchanged a glance.

"I take it this is Arnie, Arnold's cousin?" she asked. Phoebe nodded. "He looks so much like Arnold it's scary."

"Yes, it is quite remarkable," Phoebe agreed. "They DO look incredibly similar."

The pale boy was walking toward Helga. Helga looked ready to pound the boy as soon as he was close enough, so Sammy thought it might be best to intervene.

"Hi, I don't believe we've met," she said as she stepped between the two. "I'm Sammy. I'm the librarian here at PS 118. Who might you be?" Arnie looked up at Sam, and sniffed.

"I'm Arnie," he said, and simply stood there.

"Well, it's nice to meet you, Arnie," Sam said after a moment of silence. "What brings you by?"

"I need a book." Silence.

"What kind of book?"

"Poetry," the pale boy said, and sniffed again. Helga jumped up and stomped before him.

"All right, that's it!" she cried. "Now you listen up, you—" Sam slapped a hand over Helga's mouth before the girl could go any further.

"Would you excuse us?" she asked Arnie. He shrugged. "Thanks."

Sam dragged a struggling Helga into her office, followed by Phoebe. After closing the door, the redhead turned to the blonde.

"All right, that's enough," she said sternly. "I know he's a little odd, but there's no reason to treat him like that." Helga stared at the librarian with wide eyes.

"WHAT?" she cried. "Are you out of your mind? He—"

"He just likes you, that's all," Sam said, trying to soothe the girl's anger. "That doesn't make him evil. That doesn't make him a weirdo. Personally, I think if he likes you, that just proves that he has great taste." Helga quieted and thought about this.

"I never looked at it that way," she said quietly. "And I guess I can get used to him hanging around all the time. I got used to Brainy, didn't I? And besides, he's only going to be here for a couple more weeks anyway." Sammy nodded, smiling.

"Good girl," she said. "He seems harmless enough. Just ignore him. If he starts to get on your nerves, try talking to Arnold about him. Maybe he can talk to Arnie and get him to back off."

Helga thought for a moment, then shrugged.

"I guess it's worth a try," she said, sighing. "What else can I do?"

"Aside from boxing him up and sending him to Alaska, not much," Sam said. "Just don't pay any attention to him. You ignore your parents easily enough." Helga thought about this and nodded, shrugging.

"I guess you're right," she said as they stepped through the office door. "And it's only for a few more weeks. How bad can it be?"

"Right. Why don't you two take off and I'll take care of my young visitor, okay?" Sam suggested. The two girls nodded and picked up their things.

"Okay," Helga said, ignoring the lovestruck look Arnie gave her as she passed him. "I'll talk to you later, Sammy!" Phoebe waved as the two marched out the door, and Sam waved back. Then the redhead turned to the pale boy sitting at the table.

"Well, looks like it's just you and me now," she commented. Arnie looked up at her, sniffed loudly and shrugged.

"Guess so," he said. Then he just sat there.

_Cripes, _Sam thought. _Talking to this kid is like pulling teeth. Even Helga wasn't this hard in the beginning. I wonder why he's so quiet?_

After a minute of pure silence, Sam rolled her eyes and sat down right across from the boy. Arnie looked up at Sam, blinked, then sniffed. Then he just sat there, staring.

"So, Arnie," she started, unsure of how to proceed. "Do you have any hobbies?"

"I like to collect lint, and read the ingredients off of food packages," he replied. Sam raised her eyebrows slightly.

"Oh?" she commented. This kid was odd, there was no doubt about it. She was searching her brain, trying to think of something else to say when Arnold arrived.

"There you are," he said when he saw Arnie. "I've been looking all over for you. Hi, Sam."

"Hi, Arnold."

"Are you ready to head home, Arnie?" he asked his pale cousin. Arnie looked back at Sam again, then turned back to Arnold.

"Yeah," Arnie said, and stood. He started toward the door, then turned and looked back at Sammy. "Later."

"Bye, Arnie," the librarian said, waving slightly. 

Once the boys were gone, Sam ran her fingers through her hair and shook her head.

"Criminey, the kinds of kids I meet here," she muttered as she gathered her things to head home. "Freud would have a field day around here. But they're basically a good batch."

Once everything was taken care of, Sam went out to her car and headed home.

~End of Part 2~


End file.
